Am I too old to start this?

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Hi you guys.

So here is my dilemma. I'm 31 and graduated a while ago with a BA in Psychology. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a job in my field (and after working at a mentally draining job for 5 years) I've decided to pursue nursing.

I'm excited about this new start but I still have some hurdles to overcome. I need to retake some parts of the HESI and IF I get into the ASN program of my choice I won't graduate until 34.

Am I too old to try and start nursing? Would I be better off doing a shorter program and get an LPN instead?

Help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

-mightyaphrodite

I think the OP's question is a reflection on our society that sends out the message that only younger people are capable of doing things successfully and that if you're older than 30, then you're washed up. I call major BS! I graduated from my baccalaureate program when I was 38. I had classmates in their 40s and one in her 50s. It's never too late.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

STARTED my doctorate at 60.

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I went the LPN route first (which was certainly not a waste of time) and graduated at 28. I'm planning/hoping to do RN school next fall. If it goes as planned, I'll graduate as an RN at 34. Just go for it!

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In my first semester now at 44! I'm old enough to be the mom to most of my cohort, but it doesn't feel that way. And I'm not the oldest either. It took me 2 1/2 years to take my pre-reqs one at a time while I worked full time, then I quit my job and jumped. Time is going to pass anyway, where would you RATHER be in a few years? Go for it! Good luck!

How is your first semester going? I am nervous because I will have to quit a good paying job to go into nursing school if in fact I get in. I will be without earning a paycheck for at least two years. My biggest fear is failure. I'm just afraid since I failed one class back 12 years ago that that will roll over this time around. But when I think about going back to school. I get excited.

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How is your first semester going? I am nervous because I will have to quit a good paying job to go into nursing school if in fact I get in. I will be without earning a paycheck for at least two years. My biggest fear is failure. I'm just afraid since I failed one class back 12 years ago that that will roll over this time around. But when I think about going back to school. I get excited.

Hi! I'm not the person you quoted but I wanted to say I get way better grades now in nursing school then I did when I was going for my original degree 15 years ago. The classes are tough but I am good at the "intuitive" along with reasoning that NCLEX type questions tend to be based on.

I'm assuming you would have to take some prereqs to apply to nursing school? If so, I would take 1 or 2 and see how those go before deciding on applying.

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Hi! I'm not the person you quoted but I wanted to say I get way better grades now in nursing school then I did when I was going for my original degree 15 years ago. The classes are tough but I am good at the "intuitive" along with reasoning that NCLEX type questions tend to be based on.

I'm assuming you would have to take some prereqs to apply to nursing school? If so, I would take 1 or 2 and see how those go before deciding on applying.

Thanks for the reply. I actually only have one class that I need to take. Psych 210. It's not really a prerequisite, but it's one I have to take to earn my degree. All my classes I took back in college the first time around count. I was actually in nursing school in 2005/2006, but made a 74.4 in one class so I failed. I decided to switch majors to business. I ended up with a bachelor degree in business management. My community college nursing program doesn't have an expiration date on prerequisites so I don't have to take those again. Don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing. Haha.

I am signed up for an online PSY210 class that starts in January. It's a mini term so I'll be done with it in March. Then I plan to start studying anatomy again. Not through the college as I made straight A's in my two A&P classes back in the day, and I don't want to mess up my chance to get into the program, but through a free online college course that's offered.

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I'm 32, and will be starting nursing school either this spring or summer (depending on the program I get in to), and I'll finish when I'm 34. We're putting on having kids so I can do this, so I totally understand where you're coming from. The advice I was told is "The time will pass anyway, so you should do what you want". I just really had to come to terms with not having kids when I wanted to, but it will be exponentially easier to do it in this order. My hope is I'll either get in my first choice ABSN program, but at the least I'll have my RN when I graduate, and try to find a job that will pay for my BSN. There's a sign hanging in one of my community college buildings that says "It's never too late to be what you might have been" - George Eliot, and these words really struck home for me. Good luck, you got this!

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I'm 31 and starting my ADN program in January. I have a hard time as well thinking I'm too old to start. I just wish I would have started nursing earlier so I would be more stable and confident at this point in life. But I have a 4 year old daughter and I am confident this is my destiny to go into nursing. So I am so very excited!!! :) We are definitely not too old ;)

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I will be just shy of 38 when I graduate with my BSN. Take the thought about being "old" out of your head..For one it is not old.. Plus I know people in their late twenties who look and act older than I do and I believe it is because of their mind set. Age is just a number. Go for it!

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I'm 25 now, and I'll be 26 going on 27 when I graduate with my BSN. Is it old? No, but considering that some of my classmate aren't even 20 yet, I sure feel it. I once read on here something that stuck with me: Do you want to be __ years old and a nurse, or __ years old still wishing you were one?

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I'm 25 now, and I'll be 26 going on 27 when I graduate with my BSN. Is it old? No, but considering that some of my classmate aren't even 20 yet, I sure feel it. I once read on here something that stuck with me: Do you want to be __ years old and a nurse, or __ years old still wishing you were one?

Thank You for writing that quote I needed to see that.im 27 I turn 28 next year august i also finish ny pre reqs the end of next year which means ill be 30 when I am all done and I felt like I was to old for all of this cause some of my classmates are 18 ,19 and i feel like their grandma lol . I try not to think about it but ita very very hard . I wish i had finished when I was 21 but I got pregnant the following year so I stopped school and had another baby. I wish I would have just gotten it done, but im here now. I think if anything my kids give me the motivation I need to do better and be better.

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I'm 54 and have been working towards my BSN very slowly, since 2012 when I started with prereqs. I started as an LVN in 1986, went into the military, started my ADN in 1994 (graduated 1996). I just wanted my BSN to prove to myself I can do it and I think learning makes your brain stronger:) I have a sweet job working at home making a very fair wage and don't need my BSN, but again, I'm doing this for me. I ran away from home at 16, lived in a trailer park, pregnant at 18, decided I wanted more out of life and somehow knew I would be a nurse. After all I've been through, anyone can be anything they want with hard work and determination!!

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